Smoky Mountain Songwriters Festival 2015

Below is a press release for SMSWF 2015 songwriting competition. Jeff McClellan and Scott Patrick (Co-writers on “A Dozen Reasons”, which is the title track off of Branch House Pavilion’s EP project) have been selected as a finalist in the bluegrass category this year and will be headed to Gatlinburg for the finals!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SMSWF 2015 Song Competition Finalists Announced

The Smoky Mountains Songwriter Festival is proud to announce the finalists for the 2015 Song Competition! There were 242 songs entered into the 4th Annual Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival Song Competition from 73 entrants. The finalists will perform in front of a panel of 7 Judges from the music industry in Nashville at the Song Competition Finale and Awards Show August 22nd to be held at the Edgewater Hotel at 11:00AM. These judges include Larry Beaird – Beaird Music Group, Larry Shell – Pier Five Music, Doug Johnson – Black River Entertainment, Sandy Ramos – The Song Tuner, Aaron Bowlin – Curb Records, Steve Bloch – Southern Cow Music, and Lisa Johnson – Razor & Tie Publishing.

Winners will be chosen from each category after all songs have been performed. A Grand Prize Winner chosen from the category winners. The audience will also be involved by voting for a Listener’s Choice Award Winner. The Grand Prize Winner will receive $500 and a Premiere Demo from Beaird Music Group. The 1st Place Winners in each category will receive a hand-crafted leather guitar strap from Country Cobbler Leather Shop in the Gatlinburg Crafts Community. All finalists will receive category placement check and recording time from Steel Strings Productions Recording Studio in Friendsville, TN. The Listener’s Choice Winner receives $250 and a Shuree Microphone from Music Outlet. Fee Hedrick Entertainment (Comedy Barn/Smoky Mountain Opry and the Hatfields and McCoys) Sponsors the SMSWF Song competition each year. Jim Hedrick will be on hand to host this year’s Finale.

“There were so many great songs entered and the scoring was close,” said Cyndy Montgomery Reeves. Reeves points out all of those that entered the competition are winners as she reminds us ‘Music is an art. It’s worth is in the eye of the beholder’.

Finalists are listed in no particular order:

Bluegrass:

“Hard Times” by Doug Smith

“One Black Rock At A Time” by Jeff McClellan and Scott Patrick

“Tumbleweed” by Doug Smith

Country:

“This Old T-shirt” by Scott Miller

“Nothing Outta Something” by Mitch Townley

“Bring It On” by Scott Miller

Folk:

“Bad Bad Thing” by Sarah Motes Ashley

“China Plates” by Jess Chizuk

“Holdin’ On” by Scott Parker

Gospel/Inspirational:

“God’s Carrying Me” by Scott Miller

“I Found Jesus” by Joe Hash

“That Kind Of Love” by Scott Parker

Jazz/Blues:

“It’s About Me” by Cari Ray

“Blues Town” by Dave Travis

“Another Side To You” by Fish Fisher

Pop:

“Feel This Way” by Sarah Motes Ashley

“Let Love Take It From Here” by Cyndee Gray Harr

“Don’t Miss Out” by Sarah Motes Ashley

Lyrics Only:

“I’ve Had Enough Of You” by Michael Sledjeski

“Indiana Road” by Michael Henchman

“La-Z-Boy” by Sarah Motes Ashley

The SMSWF is also proud to announce this year’s Honorable Mentions.

Honorable Mentions are listed in no particular order:

Bluegrass:

“A Dozen Reasons” by Jeff McClellan and Scott Patrick

“The Right Thing To Do” by Cyndee Gary Harr

“A Better Game” by Jeff McClellan and Scott Patrick

Country:

“Muddin’” by Joe Hash

“Deeper Shade of Love” by Mitch Townley

“Cooking” by Robert Meza

“Lay Me Down” by Robby Hopkins

“Honey You Don’t Need A Six-pack” by Roger Vines

“Must Really Be in Love” by Scott Miller

“Unwind” by Mitch Townley

“Every time This Cowboy Rides” by Robert Meza

Folk:

“This Cage Will Set You Free” by Fish Fisher

“Man With The Gibson Guitar” by Roger Vines

“Clean” by Davis Corley

“Save The World From Silence” by Cyndee Gray Harr

“Baby’s Gettin’ Ready to Fly” by Dave Travis

Gospel/Inspirational:

“Can’t Give Up” by Tambre Herndon

“Cussin’ & Prayin’” by Fish Fisher

“Ransomed” by David Lauver

“Heart Headed Home” by Scott Parker

Jazz/Blues:

“I’ve Had Enough of You” by Michael Sledjeski

“Be Mine” by Sarah Motes Ashley

“The One” by Fish Fisher

Pop:

“B Movie Girl” by Fish Fisher

“God Signed the World with You” by Fish Fisher

“Go” by Fish Fisher

Lyrics Only:

“I Know What I Sow is what I Reap” by Gene Blair

“You’re Feeling Love” by Mitch Townley

“40 Miles from Midnight” by Michael Henchman

“A Closed Bedroom Door” by Gene Blair

“We encourage all of those who participated in the competition to attend the Competition Finale & Awards Show to cheer on your fellow songwriters,” says Tori Smith, SMSWF Song Comopetition Coordinator. The SMSWF Song Competition Finale and Awards Show is Sat. Aug. 22 at the Edgewater Hotel at 11 AM. No admission charge. Public Invited.